Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup)
| next = }} Croatia v Nigeria was a match which took place at the Kaliningrad Stadium on Saturday 16 June 2018. Preview and teams's preparation Odion Ighalo is likely to start for Nigeria on what will be his 29th birthday, while Wilfred Ndidi is expected to be fit, despite concerns over a hamstring injury. Defender Leon Balogun is a doubt after missing training on Thursday. Experienced Croatian quartet Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Vedran Corluka and Mario Mandzukic should start. There is still uncertainly in a number of positions, but Ivan Strinic is tipped to get the nod at left-back. Group D, which also contains Iceland and Argentina, is arguably this year's 'group of death' and this game is crucial for Croatia and Nigeria's hopes of progressing. While Nigeria are the lowest-ranked nation in Group D, Iceland are making their World Cup debut while the Africans have only missed one of the last seven World Cups. The Super Eagles reached the last 16 in 1994, 1998 and 2014, although their group win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2014 was their first victory since France 98. Croatia finished third that year, when they made their debut as an independent country, but they have failed to reach the knockout stage since, making group exits in 2002, 2006 and 2014. Real Madrid playmaker Modric, Barcelona midfielder Rakitic and Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic remain key players, while Nigeria have former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi as captain, with Premier League pair Victor Moses and Alex Iwobi also in their squad. Head to head This will be the first encounter between Croatia and Nigeria. Croatia's only previous World Cup game against African opposition saw them beat Cameroon 4-0 in June 2014. Nigeria have won just one of their last six World Cup matches against European sides (drew one, lost four), beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2014. Match Oghenekaro Etebo's own goal and a Luka Modric penalty gave Croatia a winning World Cup start against Nigeria in a poor Group D match in Kaliningrad. Etebo, who joined Stoke City from Portuguese club Feirense for £6.35m on Monday, turned Modric's first-half corner into his own net after Ante Rebic and Mario Mandzukic had both got touches. Modric then converted a 71st-minute penalty - Croatia's first shot on target - after William Troost-Ekong had manhandled Mandzukic at a corner. Nigeria offered little attacking threat, although Dejan Lovren blocked Alex Iwobi's shot just before half-time, and Odion Ighalo glanced a Brian Idowu cross straight at goalkeeper Danijel Subasic. Victory takes Croatia top of their group, after Iceland held Argentina 1-1 earlier on Saturday. At 33, Modric is facing what could well be his final World Cup - along with striker Mandzukic, who is 32, and midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who turned 30 in March. The Croatia captain won the Champions League for the fourth time in five seasons with Real Madrid in May, but his run up to Russia has hardly been smooth. He has become unpopular in his homeland over a saga that has seen him charged with perjury - an offence that carries the threat of jail - for retracting his testimony in the tax fraud trial of a senior Croatian football official. On the pitch, though, he has managed to put that to one side, and provided the class that guided Croatia to an unconvincing victory. Both he and Rakitic were excellent in their passing, although the lack of movement among the forwards in front of them often thwarted their ambition. When Croatia did create chances, it was usually their two creative midfielders who were involved. Modric's fine early cross was guided down by Ivan Perisic for Mandzukic to fire over, while Andrej Kramaric's header looped just over the crossbar from a Rakitic assist after half-time. Rebic, who scored twice as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Bayern Munich to win the German Cup in May, later volleyed a great chance wide from six yards after Rakitic's sublime pass had freed Perisic on the left. Modric and Rakitic certainly have the ability to unlock the world's best defences - but they will need help from those in front of them when they face better teams than Nigeria. Details Modrić |goals2 = |stadium = Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad |attendance = 31,136 |referee = Sandro Ricci (Brazil) }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} Group D Table |w=1 |d=0 |l=0 |gf=2 |ga=0|bc=lightgreen}} |w=0 |d=1 |l=0 |gf=1 |ga=1 |bc=lightgreen}} |w=0 |d=1 |l=0 |gf=1 |ga=1 }} |w=0 |d=0 |l=1 |gf=0 |ga=2}} |} Match Stats= {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !width=130|Overall !width=70|Croatia !width=70|Nigeria |- !scope=row|Goals scored |2||0 |- !scope=row|Total shots |12||14 |- !scope=row|Shots on target |2||2 |- !scope=row|Ball possession |55%||45% |- !scope=row|Corner kicks |6||5 |- !scope=row|Fouls committed |20||16 |-| Images= Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).1.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).2.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).3.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).4.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).5.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).6.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).7.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).8.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).9.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).10.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).11.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).12.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).13.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).14.jpg Croatia v Nigeria (2018 World Cup).15.jpg See also *2018 FIFA World Cup :*2018 FIFA World Cup Group D External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2018 FIFA World Cup Matches